Rainfall Stalls Wildfire Near Site Of Historic Hunting Lodge Near Yellowstone In Wyoming

Saturday, August 18th 2007, 3:01 pm

By: News On 6

PAHASKA TEPEE, Wyo. (AP) _ Rain and cooler weather Friday halted the advance of a fire that threatened a century-old hunting lodge built by Buffalo Bill Cody outside Yellowstone National Park. But officials remained cautions because warm, dry conditions were forecast to return early next week.

The fire has burned 29 square miles since it began Aug. 9, after a lightning strike inside Yellowstone National Park.

``It's good to smell rain after smelling smoke for so long,'' said Laurie Ash, owner of the Green Creek Inn in nearby Wapiti.

Seven-tenths of an inch of rain had been recorded by Friday afternoon. Fire commander Mark Grant said that should dampen the blaze for at least four or five days.

``It's looking rosy,'' Grant said. ``The fire is not moving at all. It's just kind of smoldering around the edge.''

In Montana, hundreds of people who live on the Frenchtown side of the blaze that has destroyed 7 square miles were allowed to return to their homes Friday. Firefighters congratulated each other Friday for saving all but three of the residences.

Joe Brosious, who fled a wall of advancing flame Thursday and assumed his home was destroyed, learned Friday it had been saved by firefighters working through the night. Torched ground surrounded the residence.

``I never would have thought they could save those houses,'' said Brosious.

Officials estimated 50 to 100 homes remained evacuated between the fire and Evaro, and officials said none of the fire was contained.

Firefighters, numbering about 120 with more arriving as the day progressed, were told to ``expect the unexpected.''

Meanwhile, a fire in California's Los Padres National Forest spewed smoke and ash for miles, and was expected to create unhealthful air quality in Santa Barbara and Ventura counties through Saturday, smog agencies warned.

The fire has burned through nearly 224 square miles of wilderness since being ignited July 4 by sparks from equipment being used to repair a water pipe. Fire crews prepared firebreaks well ahead of the flames, which were moving relatively slowly.

The fire was 59 percent contained Friday. Full containment has been predicted for Sept. 7 and more than 2,800 personnel were battling the fire.

In Washington state, a wildfire that briefly threatened facilities at the Hanford nuclear reservation had consumed nearly 104 square miles by Friday evening and was 80 percent contained, said Benton County fire information officer Roland Emetaz. Large gravel barriers and fire breaks helped firefighters contain parts of the fire on the nuclear site itself.

Four homes were threatened by a wildfire burning near State Highway 16 in Kitsap County in western Washington. Residents briefly evacuated three of those homes before returning, said Theresa MacLennan, a spokeswoman for Central Kitsap Fire and Rescue.

The fire, which had burned 10-15 acres by Friday night, sent up a plume of smoke visible in Seattle. The cause of the fire, which began Friday, was not immediately known.